Catholic Relief Services (CRS), the international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States, is calling on US Catholics to join its mission to build peace by fighting poverty in 2009. A renewed effort to confront global poverty as the key to a more peaceful world is the focus of the Holy Father’s message for World Day of Peace on January 1st.

In the case of many public colleges, it’s a moment when Catholics scurry for the campus map to locate the nearest church. What they find are Newman Centers typically located right off campus and a chaplain ready to reach out to their children as a spiritual guide and friend.

The Custodian of the Holy Land, Fr. Pizzaballa: this is the result of greater security and of the "great effort of the Church in the world." The mayor of Bethlehem expresses his hope that the economic revival can stop the exodus of inhabitants. But for the Christian minority, the problem is not only of an economic nature. The wish of the Custodian: Christmas proclaims that "there is hope for everyone!" Meanwhile, expectation over the pope's visit increases.

The Vatican has not confirmed the dates for a papal trip to the Holy Land, but an Italian newspaper reported Pope Benedict XVI will fly to Jordan May 8, on to Israel May 11 and arrive back in Italy before sundown May 15.

Cardinal Avery Dulles, a Jesuit theologian who was made a cardinal in 2001, died Dec. 12 at the Jesuit infirmary in New York, Murray-Weigel Hall. A cause of death was not released but he had been in poor health. He was 90 years old.

Vatican officials said unjust forms of discrimination against homosexuals must be avoided. However, the Vatican does not approve of a formal declaration with political weight that might be used to put pressure on or discriminate against countries that do not recognize same-sex marriage, they said.

Brother Jose Olallo Valdes, a member of the Hospitaller Brothers of St. John of God who worked among Cuba's poor and sick in the 19th century, was beatified at an outdoor Mass attended by thousands of joyous people and broadcast nationwide.